My colleagues at the The Connecticut Clean Energy Fund (CCEF) asked me to post a notice about a new Operational Demonstration Program the Fund has launched. This program funds the installation, demonstration and testing of pre-commercial clean energy technologies in Connecticut by providing loans of $150,000 to $500,000.

New features of the program include: semiannual application and funding cycles, streamlined application process, a competitive judging process and expanded list of eligible technologies. Additionally, funding of $4 million has been budgeted for the program over the next two fiscal years, enabling it to support up to six new projects per year.

Eligible projects can be full systems, system components or manufacturing innovations in the following areas:

• Electricity generation using renewable energy sources or high efficiency methods
• Advanced energy efficiency and energy management for buildings and industrial processes
• Hydrogen and biofuels production for stationary electricity generation 
• Eligible technologies must have been proven technically feasible in a laboratory or other experimental setting and be field operational.

The program is designed to competitively select and fund projects with strong commercial promise and potential to deliver significant benefits to Connecticut including job creation, reduced energy costs and environmental benefits. 

Under the new program, prospective applicants are directed to a pre-qualification survey, which poses a series of questions to screen for basic eligibility. Following this first step in the application process, eligible applicants are invited to submit a detailed application that is evaluated by CCEF staff and then judged by a panel of industry experts. Winning applicants are recommended to the CCEF Board for final funding approval.

Lise Dondy, president of CCEF, stated in the press release, “Programs such as the Operational Demonstration Program are critical to accelerate the growth of the clean energy sector in Connecticut. Commercial success of emerging technologies in this sector will not only bring competitive alternatives to fossil fuel based technologies but will also bring job creation to the state.”

The Operational Demonstration Program is one of three investment programs offered by CCEF and Connecticut Innovations to help accelerate the development and commercialization of innovative clean energy technologies in Connecticut. The three programs invest in projects along a continuum of technology readiness. These programs, from earliest to latest stage, include the new Alpha Program (soon to be announced), the Operational Demonstration Program, and the Connecticut Clean Tech Fund.

For more information about the Operational Demonstration Program, visit www.ctcleanenergy.com/opdemo

Filed under: Energy, Green Manufacturing, Green Technology | No Comments »

Connecticut has a robust history in manufacturing.  As technologies developed during the latter part of 20th century, firms in the Nutmeg state played a huge role in adding value to a growing national economy. During this time period, Connecticut’s economy flourished due to increases in defense spending, infrastructure development and advancements in bio medical drugs and instruments, to name just a few areas.  Some of these firms remain strong today and have withered various challenges over the years. These successful firms have learned how to continuously improve and that includes embracing green concepts and producing green products especially for the building/energy industry. Case in point – West Haven-based, The Lighting Quotient, an architectural lighting manufacturer. Read more »

Filed under: Green Buildings, Green Manufacturing | No Comments »

The fourth major of the 2010 PGA Tour, The PGA Championship, was played this past weekend at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisconsin.  If you watched any of The Championship on television, you noticed the breathtaking views of this daunting Pete Dye-designed course along two miles of Lake Michigan’s shoreline and the fact that bunkers, in some places, are mere dust bowls.  The other thing you might have noticed was that the guy who won it, Martin Kaymer of Germany, wasn’t wearing a hat from your average PGA tour sponsor.  No Titelist or Taylor Made for this guy. His sponsor is Schüco. 

My guess is that most of the arm chair golf analysts watching the tournament have never heard of Schüco or the driver they make or the financial services they offer.  Well they don’t make drivers and they don’t provide life insurance policies but they do make a pretty good solar panel and they have a presence in Connecticut. Read more »

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Summer is slowly coming to an end and if you are planning one more long-weekend get away, you’ll be pleased to know there’s plenty of options in Connecticut if you’re looking for a green lodging establishment.  According to a press release last week from the State of Connecticut’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), there are now 15 hotels, motels and bed & breakfasts participating in the Connecticut Green Lodging program sponsored by the DEP and Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism. The lodging facilities participating in the program are redoing operations and gaining a marketing edge through energy savings, water conservation, green cleaning and other environmentally sound practices.

DEP Commissioner Amey Marrella says, “Growing numbers of consumers, including families and conference planners, want to know that the hotel where they plan to stay is ‘green.’ Whether the hotel implements energy efficiency methods, practices water use reduction strategies or promotes reduce, reuse and recycling practices, consumers feel confident knowing their hotel meets the criteria as a Green Lodging Certified Hotel. This program also provides an opportunity for hotels to receive recognition and is an excellent marketing tool for participating hotels.”

The certification program began in May, 2009, after environmentally progressive hotel owners contacted the Connecticut DEP and legislators requesting that Connecticut offer certification to state lodging facilities. Currently, 26 states have certification programs for lodging.

The Connecticut Green Lodging is a self-certification program based on accumulating points associated with environmental practices at lodging facilities. The points are recorded in the Connecticut Green Lodging Self-Certification Workbook. The workbook and more information about the program are available on www.ct.gov/dep/greenlodging.

These certified properties can also be found under the “eco” listings on the websites run by AAA and Expedia.

The fifteen Connecticut lodging establishments that have earned the certification include:
 
Bellissimo Grande, North Stonington, CT
Cornucopia at Oldfield Bed and Breakfast, Southbury, CT
Cromwell Super 8, Cromwell, CT
Crowne Plaza Hotel Cromwell, CT
Guest House Retreat and Conference Center, Chester, CT
Inn at Lower Farm Bed and Breakfast, North Stonington, CT
Interlaken Inn, Lakeville, CT 06039
Marriott Hartford Downtown, Hartford, CT
Mystic Marriott Hotel and Spa, Groton, CT
Navy Lodge, Groton, CT
Omni New Haven at Yale, New Haven, CT
Premiere Hotel and Suites, New Haven, CT
The Rocky River Inn, New Milford, CT
Saybrook Point Inn and Spa, Old Saybrook, CT
SpringHill Suites by Marriott, Waterford, CT

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Clean Air-Cool Planet, a regional non-partisan, non-profit organization with offices in New Canaan, CT and committed to helping various stakeholders reduce their carbon emissions by promoting best practices in sustainability, has announced it has established the Community Catalyst Fund.  Grants will be in the $250 to $2,500 range per project and will be awarded to community groups in Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York seeking support for energy, sustainability and climate-related projects.

The goal of this new fund is to allow groups in communities of approximately 20,000 people to overcome small financial hurdles and move forward with projects and programs that will bring much greater rewards to their communities.  Applicants should focus on improving the environmental sustainability and economic well-being of their communities. This includes projects aimed at energy-use reduction, public engagement, and the promotion of environmental stewardship.  There are no deadlines for grant submission; proposals will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

The funds have been made available by The Overbrook Foundation, a New York City based organization which traces its roots to Connecticut. Overbrook is a family foundation established in 1948 by Frank and Helen Altschul. The foundation took its name from Overbrook Farm, the Altschul family home in Stamford, Connecticut. Currently the Foundation has an endowment of approximately $126.6 million and awarded $7.4 million in grants during 2009. 

Interested applicants should  visit Clean Air-Cool Planet’s web site.

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Senators Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Joe Lieberman (ID-CT) have announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee approved two appropriations bills with more than $1.95 million in funding for a number of projects across Connecticut.  One of those projects is the The Green Urban Business Incubator (GUBI) in Bridgeport which will receive $150,000 to assist up to six emerging green businesss start-ups. Read more »

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